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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Black & white and
color photographs each have their own appeal. Some photos will look
better in one style than the other. Combining the two on one layout can
create a huge impact and have dramatic results. Lets explore why you
might choose color photos vs. black & white.

Black & white
photos:

considered more classic and
timeless

often “hide” imperfections such
as distracting backgrounds or mismatched clothing on your subjects

minimize slightly blurry photos
by creating a more dreamy effect

create cohesion among photos
that were taken at different times and/or places

can be very effective in
supporting a focal color photo

calming

Color photos:

considered more modern, hip or
fresh

show incredible detail

great for photos depicting
action or movement

energetic

can effectively support a
larger B&W portrait photo by showing the smaller details

Why might you want to
combine them on one layout?

to contrast old & new or
then & now by using the timeless vs. modern idea

to contrast the mood in the
different photos

to give more detail or
information to your layout

to provide additional visual
interest

to draw your eyes to a focal
photo

Repetition of a single photo
(see example below)

Here is very simple
example using Color, Black & White and Sepia photographs.

By Joni Parker

What do you think?
Do you like the idea of combining both styles of photos on a layout?
We would love to hear what you think. Below you will see what our
Thoughtful Girls have created and what they have to say about working with
black & white and color photos within a single project. If you feel
inspired to create a work of he{art} yourself based on this thought, please
share it with us using the link below.

Heather’s thought: For
this week's thought, I repeated the same picture four times on my layout,
changing only one of the four to color. I thought the fall colors in the
background of the picture would stand out more if there were only one color
picture mixed in with the black and whites. I normally scrap one-photo pages,
so this was a really cool technique for me to use because I still felt
comfortable using my one photo when in actuality, I was using four! I had a
whole different design planned for my page, but I ended up with this! I started
out with a base paper from Amy Tan's "Ready Set Go" line. It already
had a slight border printed on the page, along with the little pennants printed
in the upper left hand corner. I then layered different papers (my favorite
technique) and added photos and the title. I kept this page pretty well
un-embellished so the viewer could focus on the patterns and colors of the
layout.

Steffanie's thought:
I love the idea of having a focal photo in color and the supporting photos
in b&w. For this layout, I think it
worked out perfectly. The papers I
selected are pretty bright, as is the large focal photo. I could have probably told the story with
just that photo, but all the bright colors may have been too overwhelming. By including the two smaller b&w photos,
it not only helped to tell a little more of the story but also toned down all
that bold color and gave the eyes a place to rest. I actually had three b&w photos to include
but couldn't come up with a design that I was happy with. My solution to this dilemma was to tuck it
behind the large photo and give it a pull tab (see *happy*). This also created a place for me to add an
embellishment and draw the viewer again to my focal photo. Win-win!!

Sally’s thought: This is the first time I have mixed color
photos with black and white on the same layout.
I have to say it was fun! As I
was trying to pick out my photos I found that there were some that definitely
needed to stay in color while others were great in the black and white. So finding some that worked in both was a
little more of a challenge. Until I came
across these. I loved the main photo but
one of the others was a little blurry and the 2nd was distracting due to the
wall and curtains in the background. So I switched those to black and white and
printed them in wallet size. Seems like
the perfect solution. I then used the
red and white on my layout to work off the Dr. Seuss hat and added some black
for a third color. I kept the design
fairly simple as I wanted to keep the focus on the photo. I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and will
definitely be using it again in the future to help incorporate those not so
perfect photos.

Andrea’s thought: It is not very often that I make a LO with
one black and white photo and one color photo. I knew exactly what I wanted to
do when I read what the current thought was. I thought these photos of the
sunset of my recent trip to Cozumel would be
perfect. The sunset in the color photo pops next to the black and white photo
and they contrast perfectly next to each other. I think I may use this
combination more often!

Joni’s thought: I do
this technique from time to time so I was fairly comfortable with it. I find that I usually use it with wallet
sized photos. For this layout, I had a
really fun photo of my son that I already had printed in both black & white
and color. I kept the color scheme of my
layout to black & whites/greys with pops of
red, yellow & teal. I love
how using black & white photos in this layout almost shows the motion of my
son jumping and helps convey the feelings of joy from the photos too!

The TG's have done it again! What great examples for our thoughts...we are interested in what you have been thinking! Share your layout and your thoughts!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

We all have collections that came with those sheets of paper that are pre-embellished. You know, they have the designs and embellishments already printed in place.

Sometimes having these sheets can be a good thing; it’s very easy to make a quick layout with a lot of fun “embellishments” that you don’t have to worry about placing on the page. Just add photos, some journaling, a title, and maybe a few extra embellishments, and call it done!

They can also be overwhelming; the “embellishments” are already placed on the page and you are not sure that’s where you would have placed them. It can be hard to know where to place your photos and other element because the printed pieces limit the areas available for photos and embellishment and often the paper is too cute to cover. It can also find it hard to use many photos because then cool parts could be covered up and who wants to do that?

There are a few tricks for getting the most out of these papers. First, making a single page layout or one that has two different papers for each side is best because the design works well if it stands alone. Some designs can be flipped for a mirror image double page.

Secondly, it helps to limit the number of photos so the design is not overwhelmed or covered up.

Third, try cutting into the paper along the edges of some of the images so you can slide one of your photos or journaling underneath to give more depth and dimension to the page.

Fourth, highlighting some of the printed pieces can really bring them to life. For instance, try adding dimensional glaze to one of the pieces and it will look like it has been added, on top of the page. Or, try doodling inside or around one of the designs. Be sure to add matching or similar types of 3-D embellishments that work with the design of the printed page.

Colleen’s thought: I was very frustrated when I started this layout. I can’t recall any pre-embellished paper I’d ever used before that didn’t come in a kit with layout ideas. This was completely opposite of how I scrap. I usually start with pictures, not paper, and had trouble finding pictures that would work on the page. Then I got a preview of the thought above and it all clicked. I was trying to cram too many pictures onto the layout. Once I narrowed it down to just two photos, it came together really fast with the addition of a few accents. I was done in about 10 minutes, until I reread the thought and realized I wanted to enhance the embellishments, so I hand-stitched the stems and added buttons to the flowers. It went from a very frustrating layout to one I love. Now I might reconsider using the other pre-embellished papers that have sat in my stash for a lonnng time.

Devra’s thought: Pre-Embellished paper is not something that I use often, mostly because I don't know how to use it effectively. I am always wondering, "Do I just slap the photos on? Do I overlap them over the design on the page?"

I bought this paper specifically for these photos and this was the time to dive in. Using a technique I learned in a class, I used a craft knife to cut out some elements, and give them dimension with pop dots. I needed to matte the photos due to the blue in the paper and photos. The rest of the page needed something, but not wanted to overdo it, I decided to journal around the page in a color similar to the green in the title.

It is very simple. The photos reinforce the theme of the paper, but the paper also reinforces the photos.

Jennifer’s thought: I used a line, which seems to have layer upon layer of patterned paper on the background sheet. I added some layers--of patterned paper strips, ribbon, staples, and a tag--and when I added the photo, I trimmed it to fit the Polaroid frame on the page and added it on pop dots to create more of an illusion of actual dimension. One thing I learned about using embellished patterned paper: it works better with people photos than scenery photos! I originally had used a photo of my seat at taekwondo, surrounded by all my stuff, but the photo just blended in with the background. I took it off and replaced it with a photo of my boys instead, which looked just fine! So I would recommend using people photos with embellished patterned paper because the photo will stand out against the embellishments more.

Laura’s thought: I had always shied away from using pre-embellished paper because I just didn’t know what to do with it. Now I love being able to quickly make a layout simply by cutting into some of the design, inserting my photos, and jazzing up some of the elements with glaze or coordinating embellishments.

On a personal note, (from Erika) Thanks for haning in there while we had a short break! We are back on track and will bringing you many happy thoughts in the future! Thanks for being understanding! Be sure to add your thoughts and layouts here or on our facebook page

Thursday, October 11, 2012

This week is going to be fun! Texture is H-O-T in scrapbooking and one of the most popular textures to hit the scrappy world (other than woodgrain) is BURLAP! It is a true eye pleaser. If you are scrapping a layout, making a card or altering your next masterpiece, check out some great thoughts on how to incorporate BURLAP... now how about we get to it

a thought on BURLAP TEXTURE....

By: Steffanie Seiler and Joni Parker

Burlap is a woven cloth created from jute, hemp or flax fibers. These plants are not known for their silky or cottony textures, so the result is a coarse fabric with a large weave pattern and natural beige coloring. (information source: www.wisegeek.com)

Burlap has become very commonplace in the world of scrapbooking, probably in part due to the increased use of mixed media in paper crafting. There are lots of reasons why it’s appealing. There is the classic grid pattern. There is the coarse texture providing tactile interest. Then there is the natural color which is appealing on its own, but also lends itself to all kinds of possibilities.

This is the perfect season for finding burlap as it’s traditionally associated with Fall. Usually sold by the yard at reasonable prices, you can find it at most local craft or fabric stores. Many places even offer other colors besides natural, such as black, green, orange and white.

Beth’s thought: Several weeks ago I purchased a yard of burlap. I thought I'd try making some die cut or twisted flowers, like I'd seen in a magazine recently. Then I looked up my assignment for this week and it was burlap. What a happy coincidence! After experimenting with several sizes of dies I determined the larger the better. The large weave of the burlap frays easily and the smaller flowers fell apart. Fray Check (a sewing aid that prevents fraying) would have probably solved the problem. The bleached burlap takes spray ink easily, and I was able to create two toned flowers. I love the texture and earthy feel the burlap brings to my layout! Don't be afraid to experiment with burlap yourself, it is very inexpensive.

Andrea’s thought: Burlap is so in style right now and I love the look of it on scrapbook pages! I wanted this page to have a vintage feel to it so I used very neutral colors and patterns to make the bright colors on the pictures pop. I used the burlap to matte my photo and add the frayed look around the photo. Burlap is so versatile that it would look good with almost any color!

Steffanie’s thought: I have used burlap on layouts and projects before and love the look and texture that it provides. Until now though, I had only cut circles or strips. For this project I wanted to try something different. I had an idea to combine burlap with another trend---pennant shaped banners. I cut the triangles using a piece of chipboard for a pattern. I found my biggest challenge to be keeping the triangles from unraveling as I worked with them. I just had to be careful and not over handle them. I chose these photos taken on a recent trip to a peach farm. I thought the burlap played in very well to the farm theme since you can often find burlap there and the color of natural burlap fits in well with the outdoors because it looks like...well, dirt. I also found that the burlap banner at the top provided good balance to the wood-grain paper running below my photos. Overall, I love the texture and home-grown feel the burlap added to my layout about going to a peach farm!

Amanda’s thought: I had a *DUH* moment as I was working on this page. I pulled out my burlap to find that it wasn’t burlap! I had a nice stash of canvas, but no burlap. Silly me. And being as I procrastinated this post until late, I couldn’t simply run down and buy some burlap. So my mind got to thinking....hmmm....how can I use burlap without burlap? I then realized it would be a great opportunity to show that texture and layering can be achieved in a digital format as well as paper. (Great Tip Amanda! When you are in need of the right texture or embellishment, search for digital elements and create a hybrid layout!) For the burlap, I found a download of a burlap texture. I used the cookie cutter shape and cut it into hearts. I think it made a simply adorable accent with this digital Echo Park paper. It’s easy to combine digital textures in your pages to create more interest. And with a few basic skills in Photoshop Elements, a hybrid page can be easily achieved as well! So don’t let being a digital scrapper scare you from some mediums. If you have burlap lying around, you don’t even need to download a file, just snap a picture and use the digital picture! You can use this same technique for any texture you want to photograph and incorporate into a digital or hybrid page.

Sally’s thought: Burlap is a wonderful way to add texture on any project! When I think of burlap for some reason, I think of fall. And maybe that's because the burlap colors I had were in orange and browns. So I finally decided this challenge would be great to scrap these Harvest dance photos of my daughter. I had considered making fall leaves out of the burlap but once I got it all out and started playing with it, I decided to make these fun circle elements and add buttons on them as well as to create a layered flower with them. I then cut out some simple leaves, pulled out my green embroidery floss and created a few "veins" on my leaves. I added the orange strip across the left side of the layouts as well as the little banner/pennant to the top right to create texture throughout the layout. Don't forget how much interest is added, especially on straight cuts, when you pull one or two of the strings off of each side, like you see on the orange strip, making it look frayed. I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and was thankful for the fun reminder to get this wonderful product out of the draw and use it! ****************************************************************************************

Layout By: Heather

Heather’s thought: Burlap- what a cool texture to add to scrapbooking projects! I love the awesome "feel" that burlap adds to layouts. I originally thought of layering burlap with my patterned paper on this page, but then the idea popped into my head that I could use burlap for a background. I tacked the burlap on the page with a little help from my ATG (glue runner). A tip on that-- put your glue on the paper, NOT on the burlap. Burlap is very loosely woven so if you try putting a glue runner on the burlap, the burlap will stretch and look terrible. And you will be disappointed. So, after I lightly adhered the burlap to the paper, I stitched around the edges of the burlap a couple of times with my sewing machine, adding an "X" pattern through the center of the page to help secure the burlap. I really like this technique because it holds the burlap very well! After that I just built my page from there! One last thing- I thought the duck saying, "Dare Devil" was too funny. I have had this journaling card (from October Afternoon) for a while and never thought of a clever way to use it. Now I can say it is on a page!

Joni’s thought: I love burlap’s natural neutral color and the awesome texture it can add to a page and it was perfect to maintain the “rustic nature” feel for this older photo of my son in a tree. I also love that it can help “hide” a busier background paper. So that is how I’ve used it on this layout. I wanted to keep the “hint” of the pattern paper, but not have it overwhelm the layout, so the burlap is really nice to achieve that and also add some texture. I also used some of the little strings that I pulled out of the frayed edges of the burlap to make a nice little embellishment border to ground the photo. I also changed the color of the burlap in two ways, one by using a sponge tip and dipped it in ink to make border lines in the burlap around the photo and second by simply dripping on some red mist.

*****************************************************************************************Do you have some ideas of your own for using burlap? We would love to see them. Please share your work of he{art} with us and your thoughts on using burlap by using the link below.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

I am very excited that you made it to this weeks thought. I hope you will find it as fun and informative as we do! We have been working hard over the last few months to bring you some great information. We are always excited to HEAR FROM YOU! please hop to our facebook page and share your thought with us. DO you have a technique or design principle you are interested in? We want know about it.. you may even get a chance to be a guest TG!

This week we have a great thought on adding dimension to your layouts...

By Laura Mooney and Erika Hayes

3-D movies have become very popular lately and for good reason. They seem more real and they grab your attention and hold it. They add a level of dimension that brings the movie to life in a way a “flat” movie can not.

Let's begin by defining dimension. Dimension is the depth that items appear on your layout. Layers are important because the tell the brain the level of importance. Adding dimension to a layout, card, or other project can be a great way to bring life to your project. Dimension brings visual interest to your design, moves photos or embellishments to the forefront of the visual hierarchy, and helps it move from the flat plane to the 3-D plane and giving it a sense of reality that is missing in 2-D.

One of the easiest ways to add dimension is to elevate embellishments with pop dots or foam tape. Elevating a piece of a cluster can be both interesting looking and powerful. One thing to keep in mind when using foam tape is that layering the elements will keep the dimension much more appealing.

Other ways of adding visual interest by means of dimension is with bulky pre-made or hand-made embellishments. From flowers to chipboard dimension is a great way to bring your layouts to life.

Dimension can be added with:

Foam dots/tape which lifts your embellishment

Chipboard elements

Paper flowers

Pre-made items such as brads, or layered stickers and die-cuts

This is a short list of dimensional items you are not limited to scrapbook supplies, dig though your office supplies for even more great dimentional items. We are excited to see what you come up with for this thought.

One of the best things about adding dimention is the fun you can have adding planes of interest.

One fun tip for dimension if you have a flat object but don't want to add a pop dot becuase you want to maintain a flat surface, you can bring the illusion of depth by adding a shadow to your item by inking the edges or using a Copic marker. It is a simple way to add the visual excitement you may need.

Devra’s thought: I originally started this LO for another purpose. As I continued to work on it, I realized I was altering it to add some dimension, and decided to use it for this *thought* instead. I wanted to separate the rays to give them an 'above and below' feel. First I sewed along the edge of all the cream rays. Then I cut all the grey rays apart from the others, lifting them with pop dots. I cut a few of the stars out of the rays and outlined them with Stickles, both above and below them. In other places I used wood veneer stars that I covered in glitter. I matted the photo on the same blue paper as the under piece so it would really pick up the cut out stars. The glitter letters in the title, led my eye back to the glittered stars. The dimension is subtle, however, the effect above and below is present.

Colleen’s thought: I know adding dimension is a key design element when working on scrapbooking pages, and adding pop-dots or dimensional glaze is easy. However, for it to look really good, it has to be paired with layering, and well, layering is a skill I’m still developing. When I saw the pictures of my daughter in the leaves for the first time, I knew I could handle layering a pile of leaves. To add a bit more dimension, I folded up the edges on the leaves and popped the letter tiles up with dots. I still would love to figure out how to do a layout with a lovely cluster with lots of layering, but for now, this works for me.

Jennifer’s thought: I like layering elements on top of each other. Sometimes it's easier to put them on pop dots to do the layering. On this page, I wanted to sneak some sequins under my photo; the sequins themselves had some dimension, so I mounted the photo on Dimensionals to make it easier to slide the sequins underneath, along with the tag and the patterned paper card. I also used Dimensionals to layer elements around my title--specifically, the hexagon die cut. I like the real-life "drop shadows" that the elements I layered with Dimensionals created!

Carolyn’s thought: My thoughts: I have to admit that adding dimension to my layouts is fairly new to my scrapping. When it first came out, I refused, thinking it would add to much bulk to my albums! I didn't like chipboard or foam dots, they were just too thick! I can say that I am happy that I decided to get "with it" and love it on my layouts, can't imagine doing a layout without adding dimension. For this layout I started with the pleated paper below the photos, stitching it down with my sewing machine since it didn't seem to want to stay down....I also love stitching on my layouts. For more dimension on the pleated pp, I added a premade MME layered sticker over three handmade pennants on the right and framed the MME "Happy Day" title to the left, using foam dots. I made the banner in the upper right corner and added the names and ages of the children in the photo. I chose not to add foam dots behind the journaling strips since I had already added dimension in this area by adding the twine between the two pink brads. To finish the layout I used two different chipboard fonts and colors. With encouragement from other scrappers over the last couple of years, I have tried several new ideas on my layouts.....so glad that I broke out of my comfort zone.

Laura’s thought: I love adding dimension to my layouts, to not, leaves them feeling flat to me. For this layout I made sure my photos were matted, which I think adds dimension without a ton of bulk, and double matted my focal photo. Then I added foam tape under the matted focal photo to give even more elevation for its importance. Then I added dimension all around the layout by: cutting away on of the surfboards and sliding a photo underneath, using chipboard embellishments, using flat and raised letters for the title, adding the bottle caps, cutting out the starfish and raising some of them with foam tape, adding dimensional glaze to the raised stars and the cutout surfboard, adding string, raising the main body of my journaling.

Erika's thought: I think making cards is a hoot--hahaha-- OK seriously, I was working on this fun card for The Scrap Review and I realized it was perfect example of dimension used on a card. I tend to pull out my pop dots anytime I feel like my layout or card needs a little something to make it look complete. I create pretty simple designs so using dimension is a great way for me to maintain my clean graphic look and have fun layers of visual interest. You can find the entire review of My Little Shoebox here.

Well friends... show us what you have for us... We have a great new feature beginning here at t*t*d we will be choosing a featured layout/card/project and giving you a great blinkie for your blog or siggy line. We also would like to welcome AMANDA onto the editoral staff here. She will be heading up our highlighted projects! Welcome Amanda.

Be sure to like us on facebook and share with your friends... remember we are here if you ever want to bounce ideas or if you just want to share YOUR thoughts!

Share your works of He{art} here and on facebook.. and remember thought are meant to shared!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Everybody is different when it comes to journaling on their scrapbook pages. For some, it comes very easily; for others, not so much. Some write what seem like short novels to tell their stories. While other artists like a briefer approach, sticking mainly to the facts (adhering to the, who, what, where and when) of the story.

While there is certainly no right or wrong way to journal, lists can be a very helpful tool in telling a story. We all make lists. Shopping lists, packing lists, inventory lists. Now let’s think beyond practical lists....how about a list of things that make you smile? Or lists of best memories from summer break? What are your favorite foods? And what about that bucket list? As we approach the end of the year (already???), think about composing a top 12 of 2012 list. Wouldn’t it have been fun to see a list of favorite modern conveniences from your grandmother when she was a young mom?

Creating lists (believe it or not) make memories and require little ingenuity. Lists help to organize and condense our thoughts into simple statements. Lists also allow us to include many details in a quick and easy format, bypassing the need to form complete sentences.

The possibilities for list topics are endless. If you would like a few suggestions, the internet is full of prompts to help you. One of our favorite sources can be found here: Kelli Crowe: List of Lists for Journaling

What makes me happy right now By Steffanie Seiler

Lists can be displayed in many creative ways. Here are some ideas:

Bullet points---directly on the layout or on separate strips (see Steffanie’s example above)

Bullets do not need to be just black dots either. You can use embellishments such as brads, buttons, flowers, stickers, staples, etc.

Use numbers to keep items sequential and guide your viewer through your list

Pre-made journaling cards often are designed with list journaling in mind

List items all around the layout in various spots---items don’t have to be in a row to be a list! (see Joni’s example below)

Point list items back to focal points in your photos using arrows, twine or pen lines

By Joni Parker

The Thoughtful Girls have been hard at work to bring you some great ideas to incorporate in your next list journaling. Let's take a few minutes to get their thoughts

Steffanie thoughts: I am a procrastinator when it comes to journaling. I would even go so far as to say that on all but maybe a handful of pages, the journaling is the last thing I do. I even have a tray in my craft room for layouts that just need journaling. They are complete in every other way---sans journaling. Don't get me wrong...I see the value in it. But not every layout needs a lot of words. Sometimes, less is more. That's where list journaling comes in. For this particular layout, I didn't have a lot to say. The photos are just cute...and I wanted to scrap them. Really nothing more than that. The title came to me as I was creating the page and I let that lead me to making a list of what was found in that drawer. Simple. Done. Out of my needs journaling tray...and ready to be shared! Isn't that what we all want?

Sally’s thought: Lists are a fun way of journaling and I love to use pre-designed lists to encourage me to record unique information that at times I forget to put on my pages. My daughter graduated from High School last year and instead of putting all of her senior photos on one layout I have chosen to create unique layouts for each one (even if the photos are similar) and use that chance to journal different traits or characteristics about her. So with this pre-designed random facts list I knew it would be perfect to just jot down a few things about her. I tried to create a visual triangle with my embellishments to balance it out to keep the eye moving. I need to remember more to look through the many journaling cards I have and use them more to record the fun, little details of our life.

Andrea’s thought: I love lists! I use lists all the time in everyday life as well as on my layouts. I have multiple layouts of my fiancé in which I list reasons why I love him or why we are good together. To mix it up, this time I decided to list some of my favorite things from this summer! I used Elle's Studio tags to list the event and Prima alphas to number them. It was nice to fit so many pictures on the page. I love working with lists!

Amanda’s thought: Lists. Lists are a part of everyday life for me. I’m sometimes really forgetful (okay, most of the time), so I often write lists for everything. Of course, I then am very efficient at forgetting to use or take my list with me….but that’s a topic for another day.

While I normally try to be more, um, poetic, if you will, with my journaling and tell an emotional story, I do often use lists when I want to be factual. I love facts. I love useless knowledge and random trivia. Yes, I love lists with numbers and silly tidbits. I am *that* nerd. So to use a list on a scrapbook page does in a way seem more natural to me. I can leave behind the emotion that I’ve had to learn to use, and write in a more factual way. For this page, I wanted to use some promises from Scripture that I am meditating on. And because are factual, one line statements, I thought a list format was the perfect way to use them! But I didn’t feel like one block of bulleted items would work with the slightly more whimsy feel of the page, so I broke them up on individual strips of paper and made my list in that format. I inked the edges and mounted them on the patterned block to give them a feel of being anchored.

So go for it, make a list! Make it bulleted, or broken apart. Just make sure you don’t forget to include it on your page ;)

Beth’s thought: I am definitely a list maker! Now that I'm getting "older", even the seemingly simple trips to the store require a list. When I sat down to decide what direction to take, I was thinking about my daughter and how she makes me want to be a good Mom. The layered embellishment made a perfect title and prompt for my list of inspiration. I was also inspired by a list of prompts on the internet to create several more lists, just waiting to be turned into layouts!

Heather’s thought: I started out by sketching my layout in my handy little sketchbook I carry around in my purse. I used the NEW collection from October Afternoon, Woodland Park. I used the technique of layering to add some interest to my page. I liked the thought of layers because otherwise there would not have been many patterns to add some "oomph" to the page. I printed my journaling and then matted each journaling strip with washi tape! How fun, right? With washi being so popular in the scrapbook world today, I thought it would add some trend to the layout. Listing is such a fun way to journal. I used little things I thought of as being part of Silver Dollar City for the journaling strips. The last thing I did on my page was the title. I printed a mirrored image on a piece of patterned paper and cut the letters out by hand. Then I noticed that the pattern of the paper I used for the lettering was too busy, so I colored each of the letters with a marker. Enjoy this week's thought!

Joni’s thought: I love using lists to “put things in order”…in my life and in my scrapbook pages. I actually started with this floral paper and found this “not so good” photo of my son in some wildflowers but OH NO….his eyes are closed (from the sun)…so I decided to “list” the events that made that photo turn out that way…it’s fun and funny and I got to use up a “not so good” photo by just talking about what happened.

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

CK's (Creating Keepsakes) has a new resource and it is AMAZING! It is called Better Digital Photos and Scrapbooking . As soon as I flipped it open I learned 3 new things about taking better digital photos. I am super excited because I get to GIVE ONE AWAY!

I am very excited because I think for scrapbookers or any person that takes pictures this special issue is a MUST have!

When I flipped open this little gem, I realized that it was not just for your digital camera that you hauld around but there are tips for using your other devices as well. It even give you idea on HOW to get started building a layout.. Oh here is a sneak peek inside...

If you are anything like me and you looked at that peek and said why wait... I need this resource TODAY! here is a link to find it in the online store.... PAPER and DIGITAL will be available in the future .

OH and did I mention that not only has CK put together this great issue for you but they had so many great thing they had to put some of the extra online for you. You can also access the EXTRA ONLINE content right HERE!

Let me get down to the goooood stuff.. HOW do you win? EASY leave a comment telling me the thing that MOST challenges you about digital photography and share this post on facebook. Easy right!

OH and please share a way to communicate with you if you are the winner. I will chose a winner on September 8th and if I have no way of getting word to you I will wait until the 10th. After the 10th I will choose a different winner.

There are other ways to win! You can hop over to any or all of these blogs for a chance too!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Using mixed fonts in a title can bring great fun and interest to a layout. It can also be part of the story telling process.

Think what you are trying to convey in your title. Do you just want to add an element of fun? Then add a few fonts of differing colors, type, and height. Do you want to emphasize part of the title? Make those words larger, while making the supporting words smaller. Do you want to add interest and dimension? Add letters with differing heights, textures, and thicknesses.

It doesn't have to be a difficult process. You can use mini letters, Thickers, die cut letters, words printed from the computer, the negative space left after die cutting, or even your own handwriting!

Using different fonts can help tell your story. Typology is used in professional graphic design as a way to convey feelings. Just as with color, typeface can convey emotion. Using script fonts can bring a sense of elegance, where a blocky serif font can convey part of the story like the first day of school. Mixing your fonts in your title and journaling are a great way to add visual interest to your work.

Just My Type

Fonts convey mood and personality. Fonts have a deep rich history and are important to understand. In marketing, different fonts are used to envoke feelings of warmth and security toward a product. Fonts are also use to give the illusion of strength or youth. A great book to read all about the history and meaning of fonts is "Just my Type".

On your next work of He{art} mix it up a little... think about HOW your fonts make you feel and what fun you can have with mixing different colors, style and size of fonts and post it here!

Jennifer’s thought: When I create a title, I usually use more than one font. I usually use a smaller, less colorful font for the minor words, and I use a brighter, bigger font for the more important words. Here, I used red on the big word--Garden. I didn't have small purple letters--I guess that would have been obvious!--so I used small pink letters for the word "purple." I like how this hits on the most significant word--Garden.

Colleen’s thought: I think of using mixed fonts a lot like how I was taught to write titles back in elementary school: capital letters start the important words and unimportant words begin with lowercase. That translates into big fonts for the important and little letters for the not-as-important words when I scrapbook. I’m not much for mixing fonts in a word, or having different types of little/big fonts, which is why I used the same letters for the small and big respectively. I struggled a bit in coming up with a title for this; they were all literal ideas like “Hiking in Michigan.” I was drawn to the trees in the pictures and the contrast in my kids running versus holding their father’s hands, and somehow the title came to me. Because of the title, I actually took the journaling a different direction than I first intended, and I added a hidden picture with additional journaling to tell the whole story.

Laura’s thought: I’ve long been a fan of mixing fonts in my title! First, I think it’s just fun! Secondly, it does help to tell the story at times. I picked these grey letters for my word “elephant” because they are the color of elephants and they had a great texture that reminded me of the wrinkly skin. I chose green for the word “salad” because, well, salad is green. I often use larger and smaller letters to signify the importance of a word in my title.

Carolyn’s thought- I love mixing fonts! I think it is a great way to add interest to a layout, not only mixing the fonts, but by mixing the colors at the same time.

I cut part of my title with my Cricut, using the Cuttin' Up cart for the "S" and the two "t's", the Lyrical Letters cart for the "A", and a doodlebug design Inc. sticker for the "e". The Syracuse Bulldogs was cut from pp that I purchased at a LLS, I am not sure of the font. To finish my layout, I used a couple of elements with different fonts. Be sure and give our newest "thought" a try on your next layout.

Devra’s thought-- A lot of times when I look at my photos, a title immediately comes to me. After I choose the papers for my page, I think about how I want to do the title. There are so many other options to choose from, that sometimes I just can't decide, so I use multiple styles in my title. One of my favorite types of alphas to use right now are tiny alpha stickers. They mix so nicely with larger alpha stickers, chipboard letters and die cut letters. I don't really have a "rule" when I mix my alphas in the title. Sometimes I try to pull out colors from the papers and photos. Sometimes I look for opposite styles in the letters, other times complimentary styles. I have found the small letters help bring the mixtures together. In this title, I used complimentary colors, and picked up the glitter accents as well.

We would LOVE to have you join us on facebook as well and PLEASE post your layouts we will beging highlighting readers soon. MORE to come on that.. we look forward to hearing your thought and seeing your work!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

OK friends you know I am a fan of Creating Keepsakes magazine and you know why... because it is always packed with great ideas and scrappy goodness. From the latest trends to classic scrapbooking information CK is my go to tool in scrapbooking.

I have subscribed to CK since the very first issue was published! As a subscriber I am also entitled to the free digital issue -- SO I discovered that on the digi issue that if I wanted to print a page for my inspiration book I can! HOW AWESOME is that? Pretty Awesome! CK also has a TON of free down-loadable content for anyone you can find a plethora of scrappy goodness right here

Every week, I post a challenge at Club CK, a free online community for all paper artist, called the ISSUE challenge, where I dig into the latest ISSUE and find little tidbits of goodness to challenge paper artist to 1. Use this most valuable resource (the magazine) to its fullest 2. Stretch and try new things and broaden the scope of their art. 3. To have fun and get scrapping! Check it out if you are in need of great inspiration, the PEEP that play along are ALWAYS good for amazing ideas! If you want to subscribe to CK or just pick up the AWESOME ISSUE you can do it here

OH and I admit I really LOVE the "numbers" article be sure to check it out! ;)

SO the great news, I get to give away one of the latest ISSUES and all I need you to do is leave me a comment letting me know what you would LOVE to see as an article in CK! it can be one that is already in the magazine or something you have always wanted CK to explore.

I will chose a winner on Sunday, August 19, 2012 - you will have a week to respond with your address once I have chosen you as a winner!

Thursday, August 09, 2012

*******************************************************************A Chevron is a simple geometrical figure, an inverted V-shaped pattern that is generally repeated. Common places to find chevrons are on military and police uniforms and on coats of arms/insignia. The pattern has become a staple for web design, home decor and fashion design, as it always leaves a powerful impression. It's an edgy choice, but with the right colors and tone it can be quite relaxing.

If you choose the right colors and placement for a chevron design, you can evoke that wavy, undulating, relaxed feeling that lies beneath this design. Of course, you could also choose to go all out with creating a bold look using this pattern. You could pair the Chevron stripes with horizontal and vertical stripes for some serious texture and visual dimension on your project.

Image by: Dreaming of June

This look is certainly one that beckons you to play around! If Chevrons seem scary, don't commit to incorporating it into your design completely; maybe try some of these thoughts.

Matting a photo

Cut out the V’s (along the stripe) and use as a border

Use as a substitute for Ric-Rac

Use as background and tone it down with inks/paints/sprays/mists

Cut the V pattern (against the stripe) and use it as an arrow or directional element

Take some time and think about incorporating this trendy, fun and stylish pattern onto your next

work of her{art} and please be sure to share your finished project with us.

Joss&Main

Be sure to LIKE us on facebook.. share your thoughts and layout there too! We really want to hear from you and what you THINK is important to us! PLEASE become a part of our facebook page!

Sally’s thought: I love the new trend of using chevrons whether in a fabric, home decor or even in scrapping! When I see chevrons, I always associate them with fun and happiness. They just make me happy! Besides the "fun" factor, I have also found chevrons to be a great embellishment for boy layouts. I scrap a lot of masculine layouts and sometimes get stuck in a rut when it comes time to embellish. When I saw this "thought" I was thrilled! I knew my layout needed to be about a fun day/time, and what is more fun than Disney? Once the Disney decision was made, I chose several colors of paper using smaller prints to play off the colors associated with Goofy. I created my own big chevrons I chose a black background so the brighter colors would pop more. I staggered the chevrons a little bit to try to help keep the eye moving and to avoid having the bottom of the layout appear heavy. I also created a smaller chevron to help create balance on this layout. I topped it off with a few buttons and some misting to give my layout a finished look.

Andrea’s thought: I love chevrons! I think they are a great addition to scrapbooking as well as in the fashion world. Often, I use patterned paper that has chevrons, or use a spray ink with a chevron mask. However, this time I wanted to create my own chevron out of patterned paper. It was time consuming for me, but the final product was totally worth it. I used the two handmade chevron strips to ground my photo on the top and bottom and to add some more pink into the layout.

Love this Photo of You Layout by: Heather --- click to see larger image

Heather’s thought: I love using chevrons in my scrapping, especially since they are one of the hot trends right now! I do not have a chevron die cut, so I decided to combine several chevron printed papers. I began by sketching my layout, and used the large circles as focal points. I used the lighter chevron print (yellow) for the large circle and the bolder pink chevron design for one of the smaller circles. I chose a line of paper that has a lot of doodles and bright colors. The paper inspired me to add many of my own doodles. After I finished the page, I thought the chevron design needed to be a little more prominent on the page and doodled some large chevron designs on the background and added some glitter to give some of the chevrons a nice finished appearance.

Amanda’s thought: Chevrons are incredibly trendy right now. They communicate many different things, nearly all of which with a very strong emphasis. I feel that I need to be careful in my use of chevrons because to me, the effect can be a little bit dizzying. I also like to be a little cautious with chevrons because I do not want to look back at my albums and say “chevrons, that was so 2012”. However, when I want to create a page that conveys movement, they are a great option! In this page, I used a large but simple chevron pattern. I kept it controlled by making it just a vertical border that my photos were mounted on. The movement of the carnival ride felt very appropriate with the movement of the chevrons, as well as the excitement of my kiddos on the ride. To communicate movement, excitement or business, few elements convey that with more strength than the chevron. So embrace the chevron and what it can do for you.

Beth’s thought: It took me a while to embrace the chevron trend. The bright graphic pattern was intimidating! After experimenting, I have discovered I like chevron patterns in small doses. This multicolored chevron worked perfectly to create movement on my layout. It directs the eye upward and adds just the right amount of pattern and not overwhelm the layout. It also adds a graphic pop of color, which I love. So do not be afraid to try chevrons on your nextlayout!

Joni’s thought: I love the chevron pattern since I have a very active little boy and the bold energetic pattern just fits his personality to a T (or maybe a V..lol!). On this layout, I decided to use the big bold chevron with the kraft color as my background paper and then some smaller chevron with more color to emphasize my photo. I love how the chevron pattern shows movement, energy and the “up and down” effect that matches my son going up and down on his ramp…on his bike & skateboard. I also tilted my photos in a manner that further reinforces the V shape. I’m not one to use a lot of embellishments, so having a strong pattern that has a big impact is a great asset to my scrappy style!!

Steffanie’s thought: When the chevron motif first came out, I cannot say that I was all too excited about it. However, like many trends, I have gradually warmed up to it. For my layout, I really wanted to use the chevron in a way that conveyed movement or direction. To do this, I turned the chevron on its side to capitalize on the imbedded arrows in the design. The photo is of myself and my running partner and how we are a determined pair...not willing to let a little Oregon sunshine stand in the way of getting out for a run. I further highlighted one row of chevrons pointing toward my photo (and right under the title) with a clear glaze pen. The effect is subtle but reinforces the meaning I was trying to convey. Movement and direction...running toward better health!

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the chevron pattern... answer any questions you may have on our facebook page.. come on over and be sure to play along and post your work of He{art} here -- soon you will be able to have a blinkie and be highlighted at t*t*d --more on that later! For now we are excited to see your work!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Today we were thinking about different textures. Texture on layouts and projects has become very predominant in the last couple of years, and with good reason! Both actual and visual texture goes a long way on layouts to create dimension and keeping ones work from looking flat. One way to achieve this look is with splattering paint, dye and other texture mediums—whatever you can think of that would be safe for your photos. Splattering is very similar to using spray mist, but often leaves larger drops as opposed to a fine mist.

There are numerous ways to create a splatter effect. In this thought, we will explore a few of our favorites.

First off, prepare to splatter you will want keep your splattering under control. You can certainly take your project outside, place your work in a box to contain the mess or simply lay out a piece of freezer paper on your worktable. You can even curl the sides of the freezer paper up for better containment. Make sure the waxy side is up and you can just wipe up any excess paint when you are finished.

When using paint, we found that when the paint is on the thin side you will find the splat will be much easier. To begin, mix paint with a little water – test as you add water to see if you like the look of the splatter. If it is too fine, add more paint. If it is too thick, add more water. We suggest using an old toothbrush; make sure it is not the one you currently brush your teeth with (haha). Dip the bristles into the paint mixture, making sure it is saturated, pull back on the bristles with your thumb, and let it fly, just like the kids do to your bathroom mirror! This method gives you a finer splat pattern and is a little more difficult to control. This technique works with both paints and dyes.

A second method to try is to dip the brush end of a good-sized paintbrush into the paint mixture, making sure to saturate, hold over the paper, grab a second paintbrush, tool, dowel, cell phone, and give the saturated brush a good whack. I find that this technique gives you bigger drops and is easier to control by how hard you hit your brush.

A third method requires compressed air, and the spray mist or dyes. We have put together a thoughtorial for you to demonstrate the steps in creating a more dramatic splatter look.

Splatter thoughtorial

With all methods, you place your splat pattern much like you would if you mist. Think about what the desired effect is going to be. Are you trying to just add a bit of visual interest to an otherwise flat piece of cardstock or do you really want to grunge up your work? Try to direct your splats to best achieve your texture goals. Remember, practice makes perfect, the MORE you try the better your control will become.

Carolyn’s Thought: This was my first try at splattering and loved the results! Although I have misted on my layouts in the past, I had never tried splattering. The only plans that I had when I started my layout was a star red, white, and blue theme since I was scrapping my granddaughter's first 4th of July celebration. I decided to experiment by misting on white cardstock with glimmer ist, using Candy Apple Red and Sapphire Blue. I removed the cap from the bottle and tapped the end of the spray nozzle across my hand, resulting in the large splattering across the paper. I liked the splattering effect and cut the small stars and title tag from that paper. I used the same technique to splatter the large blue and red stars. Since I love using stars, I cut more from different patterned papers and lined them up to the left of my photos, making sure they touched the photos to help ground them to the layout. I chose to stitch the stars with my sewing machine, love the look, and I like knowing they are securely attached. I printed the title using my Creative Lettering Hearts Font and cut the "1st" with my Cricut Cuttin' Up cart, stapling a red & white ribbon to the tag. For embellishments, I cut a star from corrugated cardboard, placing another star, button, and twine for added depth. I printed the date and "celebrate" tag on kraft paper and finished the layout with the "shine" embellishment. I had fun with this thought and love the added texture to my layout!

Colleen’s Thought: I have never used any type of paint on a layout before. I was a bit scared at the thought of splattering. My first thought when planning the page was that I wanted to use playful pictures. I wasn’t sure if I wanted paint on just the background, or layer some papers on top, so I played around with my papers, deciding to splatter on both the background and patterned papers. Picking the paint colors was easy, but then I had to play around with different brushes and techniques to figure out which I liked the best. I ended up using a brush with firmer bristles and two different techniques. On the bottom of the page, I tapped on the top of the brush, so the drops would fall straight down. In the upper right corner, I flicked the side of the brush, so that they would slanted drops showing more motion. There weren’t too many decisions after that, and the page came together really quickly after fussy cutting the water swirl. I love the bright burst of color the splattering adds to the top, right corner. I can see myself splattering in the future to help add some interest to relatively dull spots on my page.

Devra’s Thought: I was nervous to try splattering. I've only recently started to use mist and am still getting used to just letting go! For this page, I wanted the droplets look to mimic the sprinkles on the cookies. I chose these photos, because I really couldn't go wrong with the splattering. Wherever the ink landed would be fine. I pulled the sprayers out of my mist bottles and tapped them with a toothbrush to get the ink all over the page. I got bigger drops if I shook the bottle before pulling the sprayer out of the bottle. I used PP with small bits on them, also like the sprinkles. I added a few buttons and brads to the mix for some texture amongst the ink drops. I would do this again. It was fun and fairly easy, as long as you don't spill the bottle of ink.

Laura’s Thought: I have really embraced paint, mist and splattering! It just brings such a level of playfulness and fun. I think that you can use the splatters to tell another part of the story, like in my layout about water fun. The blue paint spattered about mimics water drops and spray fun associated with water play. To make my splats, I watered down some blue paint, dipped my paintbrush into the paint, held over the layout papers, and smacked the paint filled brush with a second brush until it looked the way I wanted it.

Jennifer’s Thought: I like to splatter mist when I think my page looks a little too tidy. For once, I remembered to do it before I glued stuff down! (GREAT TIP: When I forget, I cover the design up with wax paper and splatter anyway.) I chose green and aqua to match some accents on the page. I removed the spray nozzle from the mist bottles and shook down, not side to side, where I wanted the splats. I started under the photos to see what it would look like, knowing it would be covered up. When I got the look I wanted, I did continued elsewhere on the page. When I was done, I waited for it to air dry, wishing I'd used a heat tool to set it quicker! (I was at a crop and had forgotten it.) I then glued everything on, and added a few more splats to the upper right where I thought I needed more for balance.

Erika's thought: I am always looking for details. I love the detail that both misting and splattering. I was a card maker before I was a scrapbooker and when we decided to give some thought to splattering, I knew just what I wanted to share. The splatter effect that used compressed air. I love that I have the "power" to decide what direction my splatter has by which way I direct the air. It is important to use contasting colors and to allow for dry time. Using glossy paper is not absolute but it does make it work easier. If you want to have more fun... put your paper inside a box and get your ink ready and spray the compressed air and the ink drips it gets splattered when the ink hits the air stream!